OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

39.35°N, 118.94°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-49.3° (< −18°)

02:01:20

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 8m total night

DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:14

Civil Dusk17:42

Nautical18:13

Full Dark18:44

Nadir23:48

Dark Ends04:53

Nautical05:24

Civil Dawn05:55

Sunrise06:23

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE20.7°

DISTANCE379,969 km

Moonrise15:31

Moonset03:58

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX33% · Moderate Lunar Glow

Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

80/100

Good Stargazing

Fine observing conditions. Open star clusters and nebulae will exhibit crisp structure.

CLOUD COVER15%

HUMIDITY50%

VISIBILITY18 km

DEW POINT10.8°C

PLANETARY EPHEMERIS & ALMANAC

Visible Planets Tonight

All times calibrated to Asia/Shanghai

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-52.7°	65°	Libra	06:38	11:38	16:44	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	13.4°	82°	Leo	00:47	07:37	14:32	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	29.9°	244°	Pisces	16:30	22:36	04:43	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	22.1°	84°	Cancer	00:00	07:04	14:10	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-68.0°	37°	Libra	08:15	13:04	17:57	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	71.6°	175°	Taurus	18:52	02:07	09:23	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	23.4°	249°	Pisces	16:06	22:06	04:07	Telescope

TONIGHT'S VIEWING SCHEDULE

When & Where to Look Tonight

A simple guide to when each object is above your horizon. No astronomy chart reading required.

BEST TIMEHighest in your sky

The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES15:31

BEST TIME21:39S · 51° high

SETS03:58

Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:47

BEST TIME07:37S · 65° high

SETS14:32

Reaches about 65° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:30

BEST TIME22:36S · 52° high

SETS04:43

Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES06:38

BEST TIME11:38S · 33° high

SETS16:44

Reaches about 33° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:00

BEST TIME07:04S · 69° high

SETS14:10

Reaches about 69° above the horizon at its highest point.Distinctive crimson hue; polar ice cap discernible near opposition.

OBSERVING LOG & TARGET LIST

Tonight's Prime Deep-Sky Targets

0 / 6 targets logged tonight

M31 / NGC 224 · Andromeda

Andromeda Galaxy

Spiral Galaxy (2.5M ly)

Our galactic neighbor; visible as a ghostly oval smudge with dense radiant stellar core.

M45 · Taurus

The Pleiades (Seven Sisters)

Open Star Cluster

Breathtaking blue diamond cluster enshrouded in delicate interstellar reflection nebulosity.

M42 / NGC 1976 · Orion

Great Orion Nebula

Diffuse Emission Nebula

Star nursery harboring the brilliant Trapezium cluster with sprawling bat-wing filaments.

NGC 869 & NGC 884 · Perseus

The Double Cluster

Twin Open Clusters

Pair of spectacular shimmering jewel-boxes bursting with ruby supergiant stars.

M13 / NGC 6205 · Hercules

Great Globular Cluster in Hercules

Globular Cluster (300k stars)

Massive beehive of ancient stars packed tightly together into a blazing central ball.

M57 / NGC 6720 · Lyra

The Ring Nebula

Planetary Nebula

Delicate glowing smoke-ring left behind by a dying star 2,500 light-years away.